The Trees Are Falling
Landmarked Italian Stone Pines on East Anapamu Street Go Down
With the recent rainstorm, we had the sad reminder of the inadequate care and protection the Italian stone pine trees along the 300-800 blocks of East Anapamu Street have received since the City Council bestowed landmark status on them in 1997. Two trees have fallen and are now removed.
All designated landmarks in Santa Barbara are important to the historic fabric of our city and are protected from deterioration and destruction by the Municipal Code with substantial penalties for violations. Through the years, city councils have expected special care and preservation for things they have designated to receive our highest level of protection. The tale of the landmarked “Doremus Pine Trees” is in sharp contrast to that expectation.
In 1997 when these trees were landmarked, there were 79 of them. During late 2013, the character-defining canopy was in jeopardy with four trees dead and another dozen identified by the city’s arborist to be in poor health. More have been lost and replaced since then; still their number was just 57 before these latest two fell. In September 2013, the Department of Parks and Recreation made an embarrassing and defensive presentation to the Historic Landmark Commission (HLC), trying to explain why these historic landmarks continued to suffer.
The HLC was not happy and dismissed the proffered “bark beetles” as an excuse secondary to the trees being stressed from inadequate care. The commission requested (1) more watering for the trees and enlistment of neighbors to participate, (2) consider permeable street paving and other storm water management efforts, (3) notification to the public and HLC whenever a landmark tree required removal, and (4) development of a program to prevent continued tree loss. Despite vocal staff promises and the following year’s new Urban Forest Management Plan, none of HLC’s recommendations have been implemented.
The Department of Parks and Recreation’s current thinking is that Italian stone pines will never thrive in an urban environment (just ignore those flourishing stands on North Quarantina Street here, and along South H Street in Lompoc). Despite the Parks Commission’s 1982 designation of them to be the required street tree on these blocks of East Anapamu Street, they may be allowed to die and be replaced by a more “suitable” species.
With the loss of the latest two trees, the remaining count will be 55, less than 70 percent of the original landmarked number even including later replacements. What argument might persuade the City Council, the Landmarks Commission, or not least, the citizens of Santa Barbara that losing almost one-third of a landmark is acceptable? Would the loss of other city-owned landmarks be easily waved away? Would landmarked buildings like City Hall, the Recreation Center, the County Courthouse (currently being repaired), or the Central Library (currently being renovated) be allowed to crumble? Of course not!
It’s a shell-game where the magician says, “We are a celebrated Tree City USA! We are planting so many trees on Arbor Day this year!” But don’t watch what’s actually happening: Trees designated for the City’s highest protection are dying every year, and many times not being replaced. Of course, there are always reasons, excuses. “Not my fault. Look over there! OMG! Bark beetles!”
The City Council designated another stretch of cultural landscape in 2022, the six-block State Street Parkway with specific Pindo palms. Will we simply shrug in the future if those trees falter under continued city care? I hope not. While we have only a few city examples, landmarked trees are acknowledged and officially designated as “special.” They cannot be considered as routine street trees and afforded only the usual care. They are landmarks! Treat them as such.
The city must protect living landmarks as they do built landmarks. There are ways — perhaps heroic and expensive ways — to do that. Or must we accept the former are not “true” landmarks that contribute to the historic ambience of Santa Barbara or that make it a desirable place to live?